The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-03-31
MYSTERY AND DELUsION,
Something About Seances "A New Ohm
story Parior Entertainment,

story Parlor Entertainment.
Spirit scances are likely to puzzle
cannot explain how at the only one |
ever attended the medium gave me so
accurate an obituary history of nv
relatives and friends.
1t was in West Forty-sixth street.
The house was pretentiously furnished.
| was ushered into small reception
room hung with curtains, which was
half Of the front room, the other half
being utilized as hallway leading to
the confer vostibule. The back room
was the parlor, and extended to the
width and depth of the house.
In this there were several people
patiently awaiting opportunities to in
terview relatives who had "gone
before"
The medium was middle-aged and
very pale lady who had just risen from
bed OF sickness, When she finally
went into trance condition she had the
appearance of a corpse.
had made up my mind to ask no
questions, and so she did all the talking,
which occupied fully three-quarters of
an hour,
was seated in very comfortable
easy chair with the medium closely Wis
avis in another. / was presented to her
merely as g" a friend of mine" and am
satisfied that she did not identity
me.
She prcfaced her celestial communica-
TONS with an expression of full belief in
pjr,tualsm, and the statement that she
"as ignorant while in a trance condition
ui ,,uat she was imparting.
She begged that | would go eventual
, ; 10 another medium to compare notes
or confirmation of the desire OF my
2rit friends to talk to me- and see
4 might not get the same messages.
In moment she took my hands in hers
and gracefully sunk back and into Il
trance.
She possessed good deal of msgeet-
ism, for the touch of her fingers pro-
duced pricking sensation, as il wer,
holding the handles OF an electri,
battery.
must confess that was greatly sur
prised at her familiarity with the name,
of my dead relatives and acquaintance
while her descriptions were very ac
curate and messages quite as / woul
anticipate from those she declared weru
surrounding us.
l was taught In my boyhood days
wherever l saw ghost to investigate it.
l have always done SO to my
profit.
l saw one at - 80 o'clock one stormy
night last July. / know the exact mo
mcnt, for | have in my room cloc
that strikes the half hours on a gon
With q deep, PARKWAY sound.
1t struck like the toll Of the Greenwoo
bell as the appar. ton caught my eye
and at the same time the heavens
that were black as Grape, were illun
mated with the glare of flash c
lightning, and growl Of thunde
rumblel mournfully overhead. Other
wise all was oppressively quiet.
l was lying in bed. The windows
we're open and the shades drawn w
and there, right over in the corner
in tho doorway leading to the back
room and in the direct line Of nv
vision, stood palpable, veritable ghost
~ figure, waving its extended arms.
I'm like small gambler, l love q
sure thing, and here, after all my weary
waiting, like the old maid who for forty
years looked under her bed for man,
! was at last happily successful.
was quite alone-that is. we were
quite alone. My family was in the
country, and l had this terrible ex-
pcrlcnce all to myself. I Was afraid
TO strike a match, for its birthstone
fumes would have been too suS-
gcst.ve.
Tho more watched the noselcss in
trudcr the worse it grew to my startled
| think that ! first re-
pcatcd Now l lay NC" and gaining
courage from the simple prayer mato
bold to get up.
AS l approached the doorway the
ghost vanished! l went nearer, and fer
three painfully long minutes awaited its
return.
Then thought that would go to bed
again, and as turned l saw that tic
gaslsht from the avenue reflected upon
my body, and noticed that the wind
waved the branches of tho trees in front
of the house.
While / stood just where had mace
the discover. there was no ghost in the
d 1orway With Reckoning gestures, bu,
when went on and go. into bed it hGu
returned.
Smiling ut my crcdulity sank into
peaceful slumbcr an didn't even dream
of dead and gone Gus Fenno.
1 was WltHc uuitc lcCcliliy W IL chi-
ious bit in parlor entertainment at the
house of friend.
The host, who was man o. good SIZE
and weight, laid himself at full lenct
upon the carp t. Six gentlemen, tire
on either side, put merely the tirS Q
their finger; under him and then ali i
concert took full breath.
This was re, Gated but three or -four
times when the lody of the prostra {
man was lifted as if it were but OF rub
Der and inflated with air
This experiment does not require
ex crt skill, and l commend it as q
novelty in the way of home amusc-
mcnt. Corpulcnt fat''ers may not like
the position, but they must remember
hat it will so please the children N.
Y. Times.